2013 qualifying competition structure for juvenile & intermediate athletes hal marron, u.s....

2013 Qualifying Competition Structure for Juvenile & Intermediate Athletes

Hal Marron,

U.S. Figure Skating Board of Directors

Technical Group Coordinator

Preview: A quick look at the changes. (We’ll see it in detail later).

1. The process of how changes were made to the competition structure

2. Highlights of reasons behind the change

3. A look at the 2013 qualifying competition structure of juvenile and intermediate athletes

2013 Qualifying Competition Season

OUTLINE / AGENDA of PRESENTATION

OVERVIEW: All levels in each discipline will have the same competition

advancement pipeline.


PREVIEW: A quick look at what changed.

SINGLES:

1. Compete at the Regional Championships (no change)

2. The top 4 in each event in each region now advance to the Sectional Championships

3. The top 4 in each event in each section now advance to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships

PAIRS & DANCE:

1. Compete at the Sectional Championships (no change)

2. The top 4 in each event in each section now advance to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships

KEY POINTS:

1. Starting in 2013, there will no longer be a “stand alone” U.S. Junior Championships, the national championship for juvenile & intermediate athletes will be incorporated into the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

2. There will be a total of 12 entries in each event at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. All athletes that qualify will compete only in a “final” or “championship round,” just like novice, junior and senior.

3. The new structure will be closely monitored and evaluated for two seasons, and any additional changes, improvements or tweaks will be considered for the 2015 competitive season.

(Details and more information are coming at the end of this presentation!)

Summer 2010 – Athlete Development Committee Meetings.

U.S. Figure Skating’s Athlete Development Committee oversees programs and development for many athletes, including those in the qualifying competition structure who are not yet in the “High Performance” area (international selection pool). Part of the mission of this group is to ensure that young competitive athletes have a structure that supports their growth, experience and achievement and longevity in the sport.

- There are four separate “subcommittees” under the Athlete Development Committee umbrella, one for each of the four competitive disciplines of U.S. Figure Skating: Singles, Pairs, Ice Dance and Synchronized Skating.

- Each of the subcommittees is comprised of a variety of individuals who represent an area of that discipline, including several former Team USA athletes, three developmental coaches representing each of the three sections, judges, technical panel officials, the chair of the respective discipline committee, etc.

- The Singles, Dance and Pairs Subcommittees each met separately in the Summer of 2010, and one of their agenda items was to the qualifying system for juvenile and intermediate athletes.

- Each subcommittee independently arrived at the same conclusion, which was to adjust the qualifying competition structure for juveniles & intermediates, including the elimination of the U.S. Junior Championships as a large, stand-alone event held in December.

- While the pairs, dance and singles subcommittees each had separate goals and issues, they arrived at the same conclusion.


SECTION 1: THE PROCESS FOR HOW CHANGES WERE MADE.

Fall 2010 – Board of Directors Presentation.

The Athlete Development Committee presented their proposed changes to the U.S. Figure Skating Board of Directors at their fall meeting, for informational purposes.

- The Board of Directors approved the initial concept, and requested the Athlete Development Committee do some further research, and take the idea to other appropriate committees.

Fall / Winter 2012 – Competitions Committee

The Athlete Development Committee took their idea to U.S. Figure Skating’s Competitions Committee for further research, vetting and balloting of its members, and asked them to carry forward the idea. The Competitions Committee looked at the feasibility of how the changes would fit into the other events (Sectional & U.S. Figure Skating Championships), and felt the proposal would help strengthen Sectional Championships in addition to meeting the goals of the Athlete Development Committee.

- The Competitions Committee sent a ballot to all of its members, along with all members of the Athlete Development Committee, Athlete Advisory Committee and the Coaches’ Committee in January 2011.

- All four committees voted on the proposal, and it passed by a majority of members on all four committees.



Spring 2011 – U.S. Figure Skating Board of Directors

After the proposal was passed by a majority of members on the Competitions Committee, Athlete Development Committee, Coaches Committee and Athletes’ Advisory Committee, the completed proposal was sent back to the U.S. Figure Skating Board of Directors.

- At their May meeting preceding Governing Council, the Board of Directors passed the proposal.

Spring 2011 – U.S. Figure Skating Governing Council

The Governing Council is a large meeting where every figure skating club in the U.S., is invited to send one or more delegates, or representatives, based on the number of members in their club. These delegates vote on every proposed rule change that affects U.S. Figure Skating, thus ratifying the initial decisions of the Board of Directors. The vote of the Governing Council members is final, with any changes they approved going into affect either automatically on Sept. 1st, or on a different date they designate.

- Several seminars and meetings were held where delegates could learn about the proposal, debate it and ask any questions they have.

- The Governing Council approved the proposal to change the competition structure for juvenile & intermediate athletes, with an effective date of the 2013 competition season.




SECTION 2: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REASONS THE CHANGES WERE MADE

SINGLES•To ‘streamline’ the qualifying competition structure.

- There was too much of a change in the competition structure between intermediate and novice.

- Novice athletes that had qualified for the national competition at an intermediate level, through the current path, often became frustrated when they didn’t make it out of sectionals as a novice. Just competing at a Sectional Championships is a huge accomplishment, which they should

have been very proud of! But, for many, it seemed like a “step down”.

- To provide juvenile and intermediate athletes with an earlier opportunity to get used to the competition schedule and expectations they will be training for throughout the rest of their career.

- To allow intermediates to prepare for higher levels by competing both their short program and free skate at these events, and not having to go through a qualifying round.

•To allow a shorter competition schedule for many athletes.- While 12 athletes per level will have an additional competition, the majority of competitors that advance from regionals will attend one event, that is closer to home, and they will have to be

there for a shorter amount of time.

- There will not be qualifying rounds at either event, eliminating an entire 1-2 days of competition & practice. Every intermediate skater will be able to compete both of their programs at the competition(s) they advance to.

- Competition planning: With no qualifying round to worry about athletes will know exactly when they should arrive & depart, and won’t need to worry about booking a flight around a final round they may or may not be competing in.



PAIRS & DANCE:

•To expose athletes to an exciting, higher level competition!

- To allow athletes to have the opportunity to see higher level teams and be exposed to what a national championship looks like, and what they can aspire to.

- To be more motivating for boys to be included in the standard qualifying system, as boys in pairs and dance are often older than other U.S. Junior Championships competitors.

•Improved competition schedule & training / development time.

- To improve the timing of the calendar. Sectional Championships & U.S. Junior Championships can be a turn-off for pairs and dance teams, as their entire qualifying competition season is very close

to the holiday season.

- An increased amount of time between sectionals & the U.S. Figure Skating Championships will help athletes to train, develop and improve before competing at a national level.

- To put juvenile & intermediate athletes on the same timeframe as novice, junior and senior teams will help them to better prepare for what the competitive season will be like as they mature. They will

need to be competitive at the sectional championships to have the best chance of advancing, but use the downtime before the U.S. Championships to improve and prepare for another event.



ALL DISCIPLINES

•Timing of the U.S. Junior Championships- Through various surveys, a common complaint is the timing of the U.S. Junior Championships. Families are frustrated by a week away from home so close to the holidays, the increase in travel

costs because of the timing, and having to pay for it during an already expensive time of the year.

- It has also been difficult to for clubs to host the event, as it is difficult for club parents to find time to volunteer during the holidays.

- However, given the other core events of the qualifying competition system, December is the only available month to hold a ‘stand alone’ juvenile and intermediate championship.

- Moving the event to late January alleviates these issues, in addition to putting the event in a different semester of school.

•Coaching - It is also difficult for coaches to take an additional week off from home, especially if they have

athletes training for the U.S. Championships.

- Many coaches just have one or two students competing, and with the event being spread out over five days, the coaches’ travel can be very expensive.

- Having all of their athletes participate in the same competition structure would allow coaches another week at home, and potentially have more students sharing their travel expenses.


SECTION 3: WHAT THE 2013 SEASON WILL LOOK LIKE

SINGLES

2013 Regional Championships

2013 Sectional Championships

2013 U.S. Figure Skating

Championships

October 5-9, 2012:North AtlanticsHackensack, N.J.Eastern Great LakesAnn Arbor, Mich.Northwest PacificEugene, Oregon

October 12-16, 2012New England Warwick, R.I.Upper Great Lakes Green Bay, Wisc.Southwest PacificPeoria, Arizona

October 19-23, 2012South AtlanticsWake Forest, N.C.SouthwesternCentennial, Colo. Central PacificMurray, Utah

The top 4 athletes in each event at Regionals will

qualify for the Sectional Championships.

There will be 12 athletes per event at each

Sectional Championship (36 qualifying nationwide)

•No qualifying rounds. All juveniles compete 1 free skate.•All intermediates compete short program & free skate•The fill-up rule will be applied.•The % plan will not be used.

November 9-13, 2012:

Eastern Sectional ChampionshipsHyannis, Mass.

Midwestern Sectional ChampionshipsStrongsville, Ohio

Pacific Coast Sectional ChampionshipsProvo, Utah

The top 4 athletes in each event at Sectionals

will qualify for the U.S. Figure Skating

Championships.

There will be 12 athletes per event at the U.S.

Figure Skating Championships.

•No qualifying rounds. All juveniles compete 1 free skate.•All intermediates compete short program & free skate•The fill-up rule will not be applied.

January 19-27, 2013*

U.S. Figure Skating ChampionshipsOmaha, Nebraska

* Juvenile & intermediate events are tentatively scheduled to be held Friday, Jan. 25 – Sun., Jan. 27


SECTION 3: WHAT THE 2013 SEASON WILL LOOK LIKE

PAIRS & DANCE

2013 Sectional Championships

2013 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

November 9-13, 2012:

Eastern Sectional ChampionshipsHyannis, Mass.

Midwestern Sectional ChampionshipsStrongsville, Ohio

Pacific Coast Sectional ChampionshipsProvo, Utah

The top 4 teams / couples in each event at Sectionals will qualify for the

U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

There will be 12 athletes per event at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

•The fill-up rule will not be applied.

January 19-27, 2013*

U.S. Figure Skating ChampionshipsOmaha, Nebraska

* Juvenile & intermediate events are tentatively scheduled to be held Friday, Jan. 25 – Sun., Jan. 27


SECTION 3: SUMMARY – ALL LEVELS OF FIGURE SKATING

Discipline Regional Championships Sectional Championships U.S. Championships

Singles

JuvenileIntermediateNovice Junior Senior



Pairs



Dance



Top 4 Advance Top 4 Advance

Top 4 Advance

Top 4 Advance


SECTION 3: 2013 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Competition Location:•The juvenile and intermediate events will be held at the practice arena and/or a third sheet of ice at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

•Practice ice will be handled in the same way for all levels, with athletes receiving adequate pre-scheduled “official” practice ice. Additional or unofficial ice will be ‘on your own,’ and may be less available than juvenile and intermediate athletes are currently used to.

Credentials:•Juvenile and intermediate athletes will receive a credential which will allow them free admission to all events at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, in the athletes’ section. Realize that the athletes’ section is a higher up in the arena, and “open” seating. (Athletes wishing to have a reserved seat in a particular section will need a ticket).

•Each athlete will receive one chaperone & one coach credential, as well.

•Credentials will not get athletes to the ice level at the main event venue, only to the seating areas.

Scheduling:•Juvenile & intermediate events are tentatively slotted for the second weekend of the event (Friday – Sunday), with short programs, pattern dance & pairs events on Friday, intermediate free dance on Saturday, and singles free skate programs on Sunday.

•The goal is to keep the required amount of time juvenile & intermediate athletes must attend short, but allow them time in the schedule to enjoy the experience and to enjoy watching the senior level events.

Programs:•The Athlete Development Committee is planning on a small program for parents / athletes, which will likely include mentoring with more experienced parents / athletes.

2013 qualifying competition structure for juvenile & intermediate athletes hal marron, u.s....

Documents

coaches committee

athlete advisory committee

athletes advisory committee

sectional championships

junior championships

synchronized skating

regional championships

qualifying system